Foster’s new Hybrid MBA – a 95% online program designed to accelerate your career

The University of Washington Foster School of Business has launched a new work-compatible Hybrid MBA Program that empowers working professionals to advance their careers through a 95% online learning environment. The program combines the best of online and on-campus learning with three sessions per year on the UW Seattle campus.

Designed to meet the needs of employers and working professionals

The program was shaped by input from employers and more than 500 working professionals across six states. “We asked about their top priorities and built them into the Hybrid MBA Program,” says Tracy Gojdics, Executive Director of the Hybrid MBA. “It features flexible online learning, personalized career development throughout the two-year program and an emphasis on leadership and collaboration—both online and in-person.”

A prestigious MBA with the knowledge and tools employers seek

“As an employer, I look for MBAs from reputable programs, because they demonstrate an ability to succeed at a high level,” says Todd Dunlap, Managing Director for the Americas at Booking.com, a global accommodations company with 14,000 employees. “I have been interested in an online hybrid program at the University of Washington for some time. Foster is nationally recognized and the hybrid MBA format makes it accessible to employees who travel frequently. I knew that the prestige and the caliber of Foster could be of interest to professionals in and outside the area. Whether you are in Salt Lake City or Florida or Arizona, you can benefit from a reputable program that will support your career wherever you are. I couldn’t be more excited to finally see this program come to fruition because it offers the flexibility that people are looking for, as well as the prestige of the Foster School.”

The Foster School of Business is the highest ranked business school in the Northwest and the largest provider of MBA degrees in Washington. It is accredited by AACSB International, the gold standard for the world’s best business schools. Students in the Hybrid MBA Program will join a network of more than 900 current MBA students and 54,000 Foster School alumni worldwide.

Foster faculty have ensured that the high standards of the nationally ranked Foster MBA Program are integrated into the new Hybrid MBA. The curriculum establishes a strong foundation in business essentials and emphasizes real-world challenges, so students can learn a concept one day and apply it at work the next. The Hybrid MBA online platform gives professionals the flexibility they need to balance work and family priorities while they invest in their career development.

Employers report growing demand for MBAs

A majority of employers (79%) plan to hire MBA graduates in 2017 and most plan to increase starting base salaries for new MBA hires, according to a 2016 survey by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). The vast majority of employers (96%) say hiring recent business school graduates creates value for their companies.

According to Dunlap, an MBA degree program can increase students’ professional impact: “Not only does a reputable MBA give you credibility to employers, it also gives you the tools you need in a workplace. Whether that’s the data-driven approach to proposing new ideas or providing structure to think through ideas or problems, the Foster Hybrid MBA really equips you to advance your career.”

He also affirms the value of building confidence leading teams in online and offline environments. “As an executive of a business that is distributed across the planet—44 offices just in the Americas region and 190 globally—we work virtually some of the time; we work in person some of the time. This program and its approach will develop the skills you need to work successfully in a high-tech environment.”

How the Hybrid MBA Program works

Start date of program: September 20, 2017

Program duration: 2 years with the summer off

Credits: 64

Application to open: March 2017

Application deadline: July 15, 2017

Tuition: $65,000 (Washington residents and non-residents)

Study 95% online, 5% on the UW Seattle campus

Starting in September 2017, Hybrid MBA students will come to the UW Seattle campus three times per year for intensive 3-5 day sessions. The remainder of the program is online, featuring interaction with faculty and classmates through video conferencing, team discussions, and group projects. Students and faculty connect online one evening per week for scheduled activities and the rest of the coursework is flexible.

Students in the Hybrid MBA will have access to a range of high-demand online electives in the second year, which culminates in a team-based capstone graduation project. In addition to personalized career coaching, Hybrid MBAs can participate in transformational learning opportunities including the annual Buerk Center Business Plan Competition and an optional International Study Tour.

Demand for online MBA programs growing across the U.S.

According to GMAC, 57% of online MBA programs reported increasing application volumes in 2016, up from 50% in 2015. Nearly half of the online programs included a measure of in-person classroom instruction. When the Foster School surveyed working professionals to determine their preferred learning environment, the majority desired a hybrid format with on-campus interaction. The Foster Hybrid MBA Program fills a gap in the Northwest for a nationally ranked MBA program that blends flexible online access with face-to-face leadership development and networking experiences.

Admissions begin in March 2017

Applications will be available in March. For admissions requirements, application tips, GMAT and GRE testing advice and upcoming information sessions, visit the Hybrid MBA website.